<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001245543-03-000001
<TYPE>3
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>2
<PERIOD>20030612
<FILING-DATE>20030710
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DOLES DONALD E
<CIK>0001245543
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>3
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-08089
<FILM-NUMBER>03780867
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVENUE NW
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
<PHONE>2028280850
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>DANAHER CORP /DE/
<CIK>0000313616
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3823
<IRS-NUMBER>591995548
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVE N.W., 12TH FLOOR
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
<PHONE>2028280850
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>2099 PENNSYLVANIA AVE. N.W., 12TH FLOOR
<CITY>WASHINGTON
<STATE>DC
<ZIP>20006
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>DMG INC
<DATE-CHANGED>19850221
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-06-12</periodOfReport>
    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000313616</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>DANAHER CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>DHR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001245543</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DOLES DONALD E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>VP - Danaher Business System</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>510.6</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares></transactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>401(k) account</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>45.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2008-12-01</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>300</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>60.375</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2009-07-20</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>68.3125</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2010-12-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>45.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-09-21</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>60.92</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-07-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>2900</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option (right to buy)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>61.27</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F2"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2012-12-03</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>5500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Executive Deferred Income Plan -- Danaher Stock Fund </value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></conversionOrExercisePrice><exerciseDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>1988-08-08</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>3028.2</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value/></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">The number of shares of common stock reported is equal to (a) the reporting person's balance, as of June 16, 2003, in the Danaher stock fund included in the reporting person's Danaher 401(k) account (the &quot;401(k) Stock Fund&quot;), divided by (b) the closing price of Danaher common stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on June 16, 2003.  The 401(k) Stock Fund is comprised of a unitized pool of Danaher common stock and cash, and as such does not allocate a specific number of shares of Danaher common stock to each participant.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Twenty percent of the options granted become exercisable on each of the first five anniversaries of the grant date.  Each option expires on the tenth anniversary of the grant date.</footnote><footnote id="F3">The reporting person immediately vests in 100% of each voluntary contribution to the EDIP Stock Fund.  The reporting person vests in 100% of all company contributions to the EDIP Stock Fund upon the reporting person's death, or upon retirement following at least 5 years of service with Danaher and reaching the age of 55, in accordance with the plan.  Upon termination of employment, the vested portion of the EDIP Stock Fund is settled in either cash, Danaher common stock or a combination of cash and Danaher common stock, at the reporting person's election.  </footnote><footnote id="F4">Compensation deferred under the Danaher stock fund included in Danaher's Executive Deferred Income Plan (the &quot;EDIP Stock Fund&quot;) is deemed to be invested in a number of unfunded, notional units equal to the number of units which would have been credited if such amounts had been invested in the Danaher stock fund included in Danaher 401(k) plan (the &quot;401(k) Stock Fund&quot;).  The notional units in the EDIP Stock Fund appreciate at the same rate of appreciation as the units in the 401(k) Stock Fund.  The number of securities described is equal to (a) the reporting person's balance, as of June 16, 2003, in the EDIP Stock Fund, divided by (b) the closing price of Danaher common stock as reported on the New York Stock Exchange on June 16, 2003.  </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Donald E. Doles</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-06-17</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24
<SEQUENCE>3
<FILENAME>attach_1.txt
<TEXT>
POWER OF ATTORNEY

Know all by these presents, that the undersigned hereby constitutes and
appoints each of James Ditkoff and James O'Reilly, signing singly, the
undersigned's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:

(1) execute for and on behalf of the undersigned, in the undersigned's capacity
as an officer and/or director of Danaher Corporation(the "Company"),
Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;

(2) do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned which
may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, or 5,
complete and execute any amendment or amendments thereto, and file such form
with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock
exchange or similar authority; and

(3) take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to,
in the best interest of, or legally required by, the undersigned, it being
understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of
the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and
shall contain such terms and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in
such attorney-in-fact's discretion.

The undersigned hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might
or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or
revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or
such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause
to be done by virtue of this power of attorney and the rights and powers herein
granted.  The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact,
in serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not
assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned's
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.

This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the
undersigned is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, and 5 with respect to
the undersigned's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the
Company, unless earlier revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing
delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed as of this 7th day of June, 2003.


By:  /s/ Donald E. Doles

Name:  Donald E. Doles

</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
